Title: Raising awareness of academic excellence and sickle cell disease: the Denise NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI Foundation mobilizes students from Haut Katanga
Introduction :
The Denise NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI Foundation, under the presidency of the First Lady of the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently organized an awareness lunch for the EXCELLENTIA program and sickle cell anemia. This event brought together around 180 students from 20 different schools in the Haut Katanga province. The objective was to promote academic excellence and raise awareness among young people about sickle cell anemia, the world’s leading genetic disease.
The EXCELLENTIA program for academic excellence:
The Denise NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI Foundation launched the EXCELLENTIA program, which aims to reward academic excellence by granting scholarships to state exam winners who obtain at least 85%. This program provides for the granting of 1000 local scholarships and 100 international scholarships over a period of 10 years. During the luncheon, the First Lady encouraged the students to work hard and strive for excellence, emphasizing that these scholarships provide an opportunity to pursue academic studies at the national and international level.
Sickle Cell Awareness:
In addition to promoting academic excellence, the Denise NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI Foundation has also focused on raising awareness about sickle cell disease. The First Lady hosted an information session on this genetic disease and encouraged students to get tested. She stressed that sickle cell disease constitutes a major challenge for society and insisted on the importance of prevention and fight against this disease. Some hospitals in Lubumbashi plan to make screening kits available to students to facilitate access to tests.
The example of former scholarship holders:
During this event, several former EXCELLENTIA program scholarship holders were invited to talk about their journey. These exemplary students, who are currently pursuing their university studies in Morocco, France and the United States, shared their experiences and encouraged the students present to seize this unique opportunity.
Conclusion :
The Denise NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI Foundation continues to promote academic excellence and awareness of sickle cell disease through its EXCELLENTIA program. By bringing together the students of Haut Katanga during this lunch, the First Lady stressed the importance of education and prevention of sickle cell disease. This program offers young people the opportunity to realize their academic potential while raising awareness of crucial health issues.